National Honor Society welcomes 16

Saturday

Apr 13, 2013 at 6:00 AMApr 13, 2013 at 10:11 PM

By Michael Kane BANNER EDITOR

It's part of the job West Boylston High School Principal Larry Murphy said was “very simple, but a great part of the job.” Murphy and Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Schaper joined the 19 member-National Honor Society recently to welcome 16 new members.

Murphy outlined the four tenets of the society – leadership, scholarship, character and service – by tying them into the school's theme last year of “pay it forward,” the philosophy that you respond to good deeds done for you by doing good deeds for others.

In these 16 students, as in the already-installed members, Murphy said the school had found the characteristics of the National Honor Society and accomplished the schools goals.

“In National Honor Society, I know you'll pay it forward,” Murphy said. “These characteristics of the National Honor Society are exactly what we need to be paid forward.”

In crediting the group for its accomplishments, Murphy also credited guidance and adjustment counselor Todd Salmonsen for his role in advising the group, and for setting high expectations for the members of the society.

“Todd Salmonsen does not get enough credit for all the work he does as adviser,” Murphy said to a large ovation.

President Jenna Coviello spoke to the accomplishments and philosophy of the society, which requires not only good grades, but dedication, hard work and commitment to public service.

She highlighted several of the group's recent endeavors, including the annual Easter Seal's shoot out and a canned food drive, and a new endeavor this year: Flocking.

In flocking, the students placed pink flamingoes on lawns and the “victims” had to pay to have them moved to someone else's lawn. The group raised $580 in the first year.

Members are heavily involved in clubs, sports, school government and in their community, Coviello noted. They are the students who “admit to staying up to the wee hours of the morning” finishing homework.

“You truly and wholeheartedly deserve this,” Coviello said. “Many may think the National Honor Society is a place for kids who try too hard. Is that really a bad place to be?”

It was a theme repeated by member Corey Marsh, who, while addressing scholarship, noted members of the society were the students who chose to stay home when friends were going out.

“I look around me and I know not one of these faces is a stranger to the hours of 2 or 3 a.m.,” Marsh said. “It's all worth it.”

Kelly Sorge addressed the qualities of leadership, pointing out that many of the members are captains of their sports teams or club presidents already. Those are the people, she noted, “who are not afraid to step forward when others step back.

“It is people like you who will lead our community through the ups and downs life brings,” Sorge said.

Schaper used references to popular fictional and historical figures – as well as the entire stage – to make her point, which was about the balance of humility.

Speaking from one side of the stage, Schaper spoke about arrogance and self-assuredness. Moving to the other side, she gave examples of self-loathing, or the “poor little old me” factor. In the middle, she noted, is humility. Through examples, she urged the students to be humble in the lives, while striving to make the world a better place.

“True humility is directly in the center of these extremes,” Schaper said. “It is not a low opinion of your own gifts, or thinking you need more. It is the appreciation of the gifts and talents that make you who you are … it allows all of your other virtues to be put to good use.”